OXON HILL, MD. -- Alaina Kenny, the Syracuse-area spelling champion, prepared to take the stage this morning at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where each contestant will receive a chance at two oral spelling words.

Kenny will wear card No. 164 as the winner of The Post-Standard/WCNY Spelling Bee in February. She took the stage under bright lights in a convention center auditorium packed with more than 200 nervous parents and friends.

The eighth-grader at Onondaga Hill Middle School spent the morning taking last minute spelling quizzes on her brand new Microsoft Surface tablet, according to her father Patrick Kenny.

Each contestant received a free Surface Tuesday night.

Kenny is among 281 winners of regional Spelling Bees who will be competing at the national event this year. In the fist half of the morning competition, 108 contestants spelled words correctly, and 12 did not.

A second round of the oral competition will take place this afternoon. The competition will be broadcast live on ESPN3.